A sign saying “ICE OUT” appears on a utility pole in Minneapolis on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, as demonstrations and public opposition to federal immigration enforcement continue under clear skies. AP Photo
Demonstrators gathered in downtown Montreal on Sunday to protest recent immigration enforcement actions by U.S. authorities and to call out what they described as Canada’s involvement through corporate and government links.
Rally Outside U.S. Consulate
Under clear winter skies, a large crowd assembled outside the U.S. Consulate on Ste-Catherine Street. Protesters voiced anger over recent deaths in the United States linked to operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, widely known as ICE.
The protest followed the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis during immigration enforcement activity in recent weeks. Demonstrators said those events sparked outrage across North America.
Calls Against Violence and Complicity
Michael Lipset, one of the event’s organizers, told the crowd that ICE’s actions went beyond U.S. borders. Lipset, who grew up in Minneapolis and now lives in Montreal, said violence linked to immigration enforcement must face opposition everywhere.
“The violence ICE is bringing upon people within the United States will not be tolerated anywhere,” he said.
Lipset also accused Canada of playing a role through business relationships with ICE. He pointed to Canadian companies that hold contracts with U.S. immigration agencies, including Hootsuite, Roshel, and GardaWorld.
“We will not tolerate Quebec’s complicity and Canada’s complicity in that violence by way of corporate contracts with ICE,” Lipset said.
March Through Downtown
Wearing winter boots and carrying signs, protesters marched in front of the consular building before heading toward Dorchester Park. Chants echoed through the streets, including, “From Minnesota to Montreal, we won’t stop until ICE falls.”
Placards featured messages such as “I like my ICE crushed,” while others displayed religious messages promoting compassion, including a quote from the Gospel of Matthew: “I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
Solidarity Across Borders
Lynn Worrell said she attended the protest to support Americans pushing back against immigration enforcement in cities such as Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Chicago. She criticized claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that undocumented immigrants overwhelm major cities.
“Minneapolis, we see you,” Worrell said.
She urged Canada to stop exporting military equipment to U.S. agencies if that equipment could support human rights abuses. “We are complicit in supporting ICE,” she said.
Concerns Over Equipment and Contracts
Worrell pointed to armoured vehicles made by Roshel that appeared during the killing of Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse shot after recording an enforcement operation in Minneapolis. She noted that ICE has set aside funds to purchase 20 armoured vehicles from the Ontario-based company.
Protesters also highlighted GardaWorld’s U.S. contracts, including staffing services at a detention centre in Florida. Records show the company also pursued major contracts with ICE in recent years.
Protests Across the Continent
Sunday’s rally followed similar demonstrations in other cities. On Friday, protesters in Vancouver gathered outside Hootsuite’s offices, urging the company to end a contract linked to ICE. That same day, demonstrations took place across the United States, including work and school strikes opposing immigration policies.
Back in Montreal, speakers encouraged Canadian residents with U.S. citizenship to vote in upcoming American elections. Jacob Wesoky, president of Democrats at McGill, said distance does not mean powerlessness.
Community organizer Manuel Salamanca Cardona said the growing resistance gave him hope. “I’m seeing people who are not immigrants, and I’m seeing people that are immigrants, and my heart is glowing,” he said. “I’m excited because this resistance is growing everywhere.”
